Ketamine Treatment in Southern California

At Neuro Wellness Spa, we are proud to be one of the leading providers of intravenous (IV) ketamine therapy in Southern California. FDA-approved and clinically tested, ketamine can help relieve symptoms of treatment resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain and other disorders.

Our medical director, Dr. Martha Koo, is an active member of the American Society of Ketamine Physicians. A leading authority on psychiatric disorders for over 20 years, Dr. Koo is passionate about using IV ketamine to help her patients.

Under her guidance, our team has helped countless patients in South Bay. We’ve seen the life-changing effects of this therapy, especially for those who suffer from treatment-resistant illnesses.

What is Ketamine IV Therapy?

Millions of people suffer from chronic and debilitating physical and psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, many of these conditions may stop responding to medications, like anti-depressants, and other therapies. IV ketamine therapy is a safe and effective treatment option for people who suffer from treatment-resistant:

Depression

Anxiety

Acute suicidality

PTSD

Chronic pain

Physicians have used Ketamine for over 50 years as an anesthetic. However, new research indicates its effectiveness in other applications too.

Researchers at Mass General Hospital conducted the largest study of IV ketamine therapy. They found that over 70% of patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression experienced symptom relief with IV ketamine therapy. This study, along with a growing number of others, is a major finding that demonstrates the effectiveness of IV ketamine for those who have tried standard treatments but haven’t responded adequately.

What is Ketamine IV Therapy?

NeuroWellness Spa TMS Offices

Millions of people suffer from chronic and debilitating physical and psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, many of these conditions may stop responding to medications, like anti-depressants, and other therapies. IV ketamine therapy is a safe and effective treatment option for people who suffer from treatment-resistant:

Depression

Anxiety

Acute suicidality

PTSD

Chronic pain

Physicians have used Ketamine for over 50 years as an anesthetic. However, new research indicates its effectiveness in other applications too.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Machine at the NeuroWellness Spa.

Researchers at Mass General Hospital conducted the largest study of IV ketamine therapy. They found that over 70% of patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression experienced symptom relief with IV ketamine therapy. This study, along with a growing number of others, is a major finding that demonstrates the effectiveness of IV ketamine for those who have tried standard treatments but haven’t responded adequately.

What Can Ketamine IV Therapy Treat?

Depression is highly prevalent in the United States, and about 10-30% of patients who suffer from major depression do not respond to standard treatment methods.[1]

If you suffer from a treatment-resistant disorder, or have not been able to tolerate standard treatment medications, you are not alone. IV ketamine therapy could be an effective treatment alternative. It has brought relief to many.

Below we have listed a few disorders for which ketamine therapy has been shown to help. If you or a loved one is struggling with any of these conditions, we encourage you to contact your doctor or our experienced medical team today. Together, we can discuss whether ketamine therapy may be an effective treatment option for you.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder causes alternating feelings of depression and elation. IV ketamine therapy can help balance cerebral activity, and may alleviate some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Fibromyalgia

Ketamine is effective in treating various chronic pain syndromes, especially those that have a neuropathic component, like fibromyalgia.

Anxiety

Anxiety disorder is highly prevalent in the United States. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it affects about 40 million Americans, which is approximately 20% of the population. Ketamine therapy plays an important role in the treatment of anxiety. Approximately 30-40% of those seeking treatment for anxiety, do not achieve remission with standard medications and therapies. IV ketamine has been proven to effectively treat anxiety in patients with treatment-resistance.

Chronic Pain

Ketamine is a powerful pain reliever. It has been used as an anesthetic on the battlefield. It is also used to prepare patients for surgery. Ketamine is safe, especially compared to other anesthetics, because it offers fast-acting pain relief without impairing breathing function. There is growing evidence that long-term treatment of chronic pain with ketamine will provide prolonged pain relief. [2]

Spinal Injury

Ketamine can provide pain relief for those who suffer from spinal cord injuries. Ketamine works by stimulating brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the growth of neurons in the brain. Researchers have also observed increased synaptic connections in patients treated with IV ketamine therapy. This neuronal growth and increased neuronal interconnectivity relieve symptoms of spinal injuries.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

More than 3 million US adults suffer from PTSD each year. It is highly prevalent among military personnel, victims of domestic violence, and those who have suffered an accident or another type of traumatic event. Although PTSD can be disruptive and debilitating, it can also be a difficult condition to treat. IV ketamine has been shown to improve symptoms of treatment resistant PTSD.

Depression

The National Institute of Mental Health lists depression as one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. In a recent study, around 17 million adults in the US had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.

However, standard antidepressant and therapy treatments do not work for everyone with depression. IV ketamine therapy is a well-established, safe and effective treatment option for those with treatment-resistant depression.

Phantom Limb Pain

Although there is still a lot unknown about phantom limb pain, it is clear that PLP involves both central and peripheral neural factors that activate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Ketamine is known to block these NMDA receptors. Because of this, IV ketamine is considered to be a potentially effective treatment for many neuropathic disorders, including PLP.

Neuralgia

Neuralgia is a mild to severe, shooting pain felt along a nerve pathway. Although are different types of neuralgia, they all can affect the ability to perform everyday tasks and can reduce quality of life. If medications and nonpharmacological interventions don’t work, IV ketamine therapy may be a treatment option for neuralgia. IV ketamine is known for its ability to help relieve therapy-resistant chronic pain syndromes, especially those syndromes that have a neuropathic component, including neuralgia.

How Does Ketamine IV Therapy Work?

Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic that has been used for decades in the United States. Research shows that the drug is effective at treating both neuropathic pain and treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders.

In 2016, the Society for Neuroscience published a major breakthrough explaining how ketamine causes new nerve cells to mature extremely quickly in the hippocampus. Dr. John Krystal, MD, the chief psychiatrist at Yale Medicine, even called this drug a “game changer”.

Ketamine is a very unique drug because of how it works. Medications like Valium, for example, only provide anti-anxiety effects for as long as the drug is in the system. Once Valium wears off, the symptoms of anxiety will typically return. With ketamine, on the other hand, the drug triggers a biological reaction in the cortex that allows the brain’s connections to regrow. Therefore, it’s the brain’s reaction to the drug that provides relief, rather than the drug itself.

Ketamine is known to stimulate the growth of neurons in as little as one hour. Further, its powerful anti-inflammatory properties can improve neural activation and elevate mood.

What to Expect from IV Ketamine Treatment

At Neuro Wellness Spa, our expert medical team administers IV ketamine treatments in a controlled environment using clinically established methods.

Consultation: If you are interested in learning more about IV ketamine, our medical team will schedule you for a consultation. One of our incredible psychiatrists will review your medical records, discuss your needs and preferences, and together you can decide whether IV ketamine therapy may be an effective treatment for you.

Determining a Treatment Plan: The dosage of ketamine used in your treatment will vary based on your body weight. The guideline for ketamine dosage is 0.5mg.kg body weight. The drug is administered at a slow and controlled pace to the patient by a trained clinician. Patients do not experience any respiratory effects during or after the treatment.

IV Ketamine doesn’t have any long-lasting associated side effects. Although some people may experience sensitivity to light and/or sound and disorientation while the treatment is administered, these feelings subside quickly when the treatment is finished.

IV Ketamine can cause feelings of dissociation while the treatment is being administered. However, many patients report that these feelings of dissociation can help them develop an objective perspective about past experiences.

Ketamine is administered through an IV infusion: At Neuro Wellness Spa, we administer ketamine treatments through an IV. Sessions typically last between 40-50 minutes on an outpatient basis. We want you to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible during your session, so your physician may dim the lights, play music, or take other measures to make sure you’re comfortable.

Your physician will also monitor your blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen saturation during your session as a precaution.

Be aware of mild side effects: There are very few side effects with ketamine, however, a small number of patients experience:

Dizziness

Nausea

Confusion

Loss of appetite

Fatigue after the first session. In some cases, fatigue in subsequent sessions.

We recommend that you have someone available to accompany you home after your treatment.

How Does This Therapy Feel?

At Neuro Wellness Spa, we administer low levels of ketamine in a controlled environment.

Ketamine can be used an anesthetic during surgery. However, the dosage we use during therapy is much lower.

At Neuro Wellness Spa we use FDA-approved doses and closely monitor our patients to make sure they are comfortable and relaxed.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING IV KETAMINE THERAPY TREATMENTS?

One-on-One Consultation with an Expert Psychiatrist

A physician will begin by reviewing your medical records and consulting with you about your needs and preferences for treatment.

You will be asked some important questions.

Such as height, weight, age, and medical history as part of your treatment assessment. This information helps the physicians and medical staff prepare your treatment plan.

Ketamine infusions are administered on an outpatient basis.

Ketamine is administered through an IV, and the infusion lasts between 40-50 minutes.

Your treatment environment can have a large impact on your experience of the infusion.

Your clinician may lower the lights, offer an eye mask or aromatherapy, or take other measures to make the setting more comfortable. You might also choose some relaxing music to help you through the onset phase.

Ketamine is administered through an IV.

You will receive treatment in a private room, accompanied by a trained healthcare professional for the duration of the infusion. As the ketamine is delivered at a low and controlled dosage, your blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation will be monitored.

IV Ketamine therapy is fast-acting.

Although you remain aware of your surroundings, you will experience deep relaxation. It is important to enter each infusion with a positive mindset and a tranquil setting.

Some patients may experience dizziness, nausea, dissociation or fatigue.

A complete list of possible side effects will be discussed with you prior to treatment. After a treatment session, it is important to have someone available to accompany you home safely.

Your mindset and emotional state before treatment can impact your experience of the infusion.

Prior to every ketamine infusion, we help our patients prepare intentions for their therapy. The stronger and clearer the intention, the more profound it may help the therapy to be.

Contact Neuro Wellness Spa

We specialize in a number of services and take a holistic, personalized approach to healing.

If you’ve tried other treatment options unsuccessfully, you are not alone. Many patients with treatment-resistant illness have found success with IV ketamine therapy.

IV ketamine therapy is an evidence-based treatment option and has helped many people find relief from depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and other conditions. It may be able to help you or a loved one too.

At Neuro Wellness Spa, we want to share wellness solutions with the South Bay. Every day, we strive to educate our patients about this emerging therapy and offer care to those in need. Our mission is to help those who suffer from depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and mental illness with the full spectrum of available and effective treatment options.

If you would like to learn more about ketamine therapy, or one of the other wellness services we offer, contact our professional team today.